Standing ovation for testimonial at Kids in the Hall gala at Edmonton City Hall

Canadian Olympic gold medal wrestler Erica Wiebe (centre in white blouse) and back-to-back Olympic trampoline gold medallist Rosie MacLennan, next to her in black dress, were among the some 32 Olympians who jumped onto the stage last week at the Shaw Conference Centre to sing with the bands entertaining at the Gold Medal Plates dinner.Nick Lees

James Milliken, 21, from the small Saskatchewan reserve ofAhtahkakoop, drew a standing ovation Friday night after his speech at the 20th anniversary gala of the Kids in the Hall Bistro.

Milliken was one of three youngsters who told their stories and helped raise $145,000 for the non-profit charity which helps youth face barriers, including homelessness, poverty and addiction.

“I couldn’t go to school on the reserve as I always got beat up because I didn’t wear brand-name clothes and always looked poor,” Milliken told the 160 guests who dined in the City Hall lobby.

“All the money my grandmother got was spent on drugs and alcohol and my little brother. I ended up going to a white school outside the reserve and found they were kind of racist.”

He had gone to live with his grandma, along with a younger brother and sister, because his mother “wasn’t around much.”

“I eventually got into drugs and alcohol, nothing serious, just marijuana at a young age,” said Milliken. “Alcohol was always involved when things went wrong. My mom was getting sick of me getting into trouble, started talking to family in Edmonton and found me a place to stay.”

The three Kids in the Hall students given a standing ovation at the charity’s 20th anniversary gala Friday night at City Hall were Megan Strawberry, left, James Milliken and Marianne Strawberry. The 160 guests at the event raised $145,000 for the non-profit charity.Nick Lees

He moved here three months ago, missed his family and was very lonely. But he was sick of the reserve and knew he had to be here.

“An aunt eventually brought me to Kids in the Hall and I got my very first job,” said Milliken. “I am training to be a chef, my dream job. I love coming to work every day. And Kids in the Hall has helped me change to be a better person.

“I don’t drink as much as I used to and I have a good group of friends.”

Kids in the Hall helped him register with the Alberta Apprenticeship Program and he is now taking courses and earning hours toward his chef’s journeyman certificate.

“I sometimes get lonely for my family and want to go home to them,” said Milliken. “But I am doing this so they can be proud of me. I am proud of me.”

The two other speakers were Megan Strawberry, 23, and her sister Marianne Strawberry, 25.

Born and raised in Edmonton, Megan said she was 16 when her family broke up on the passing of her mother and she had no direction.

Four years later, she decided to leave addictions behind and get her life on track by getting a job and going back to school.

“The staff at Kids in the Hall really opened my mind to believing there are people who do care about people like me, which is exactly what most youth need,” said Megan.

“Today I am finally finishing my high school and working towards a career in both health care and social work.”

Marianne said she was 14 when she lost her mother and at 16 she was dealing with addiction, depression, panic and homelessness.

“I had no guidance and no direction until I found Kids in the Hall,” she said. “Staff gave me a chance to get high school credits and gain life skills and job experience.

“I am now in my second year of social work at school and will graduate next year.”

Meanwhile, the best-selling item that went under the hammer of auctioneer and event sponsor Sine Chadi was a 14-karat yellow-and-white-gold diamond ring. It sold for $4,800.

A golden night

Edmonton looks like it is setting the pace again following last Thursday’s Gold Medal Plates (GMP) dinner in support of Canada’s Olympic athletes training for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Edmonton traditionally has the biggest dinner of the 11 cities across the country annually supporting Canada’s Own the Podium campaign, which helps the athletes.

“We had a record 770 guests at the dinner this year at the Shaw Conference Centre and they were as generous as ever,” said event co-chair Dave Majeski.

“Edmonton and Calgary were the first cities to sell out dinners, which speaks oceans about the generosity of Albertans in tough economic times. Some 32 Olympians hosted tables.”

Canada won 22 medals this year at the Rio Olympics and because women claimed 72 per cent of our medals, including the first 12, it was four female athletes that emcee and CBC Rio host Scott Russell invited to speak on how Gold Medal Plates had helped them.

Gold Medal Plates dinner table mates at the gala supporting athletes training for the 2010 Tokyo Olympics were the event chair Dave Majeski and boxer Jelena Mrdjenovich, who recently defended her World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association titles in France with a knockout.Nick Lees

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.